The estate of Earlene S. Bowen -- "the Antiques Lady" -- will be sold without reserve Apr. 6, 12-13 The estate of Ms. Earlene S. Bowen, known as “the Antiques Lady” until her recent passing at age 95, will be offered without reserve Apr. 6 and Apr. 12-13 at her home in Eupora, Miss.

at the Mississippi State Department of Welfare, as manager of the state’s food stamps program. But she always fancied antique furniture items.

In 1957, with $10,000 and a dream to get into the business, Earlean launched Bowen’s Antiques, initially as a home-based venture. Parlaying her love of Empire pieces, old Southern furniture, primitives, Americana, china, crystal and jewelry into a bulging inventory, Ms. Bowen had, by age 85, amassed an inventory worth about $1 million. And she was just hitting her stride.

“At an age when most people are well into retirement and taking life easy, Ms. Bowen was out there, charging around the country, buying new pieces and making new contacts,” Dwight Stevens said. “At age 90 she had a six-man crew and several trucks. She was just this unbelievable powerhouse of energy. People in many states knew her as ‘the Antiques Lady.’”

She finally did slow down, however, in her 90s and sold off a good bit of inventory in the process. One thing she never missed, though, was the Governor’s Inaugural Ball, an event Ms. Bowen got invited to every four years, having made political connections at her government job. Last year, at 95, she danced with the Governor of Mississippi, for what was to be the last time.

Since the auction is an on-site country sale, buyers are encouraged to bring their trucks to remove their items as quickly as possible. Refreshments will be available on auction days. The sale will be held rain or shine, as Stevens Auction Company is providing large circus tents and ample seating for the anticipated throngs. A healthy turnout is expected, so plan to arrive early.

Terms will be cash, major credit cards and pre-approved checks. A 15 percent buyer’s premium will be charged on the total purchase price, with a 2 percent processing fee for credit cards. A 7 percent sales tax will be charged on all merchandise sold (except for bidders with a valid state resale number). Out-of-state buyers must show a copy of their current tax certificate.

Stevens Auction Company is always accepting quality consignments for future sales. To consign a single item, an estate or a collection, you may call them directly, at (662) 369-2200; or, you can e-mail them at stevensauction@bellsouth.net. To learn more about Stevens Auction Company and the upcoming Earlene S. Bowen estate sale, log on to www.stevensauction.com.